The Obama campaign swiftly responded, calling the anonymous attacks "stunningly offensive" and even the reporter who sat down with the Romney advisers warned the "remarks may prompt accusations of racial insensitivity."

"We are part of an Anglo-Saxon heritage, and he [Romney] feels that the special relationship is special," the Romney adviser told British newspaper The Telegraph. "The White House didn't fully appreciate the shared history we have."

¬snip¬

After reading an initial ABC News report about the comments, Obama advisor David Axelrod tweeted "Mitt's trip off to flying start, even before he lands, with stunningly offensive quotes from his team in British press."

Vice President Biden also criticized the remark. "Despite his promises that politics stops at the water's edge, Gov. Romney's wheels hadn't even touched down in London before his advisers were reportedly playing politics with international diplomacy," Biden said.

"The comments reported this morning are a disturbing start to a trip designed to demonstrate Gov. Romney's readiness to represent the United States on the world's stage... This assertion is beneath a presidential campaign," the vice president said.

21. I can't imagine that there are too many of those left undecided.

It seems to me that Romney has the racist vote tied up. I think that this was a really stupid mistake on his part - just the latest of a series of spectacular blunders. Romney is so stupid, racist, and out of touch he doesn't even know how out of touch he is.

6. Is the origin of the Romney name even Anglo Saxon?

I read somewhere that the original name was Romenel or something similar and that it was a French Norman name from the time of William the Conqueror. The Normans of course were originally Viking men who invaded northern France and never left, taking French wives and becoming a Norse-French hybrid.

13. Just proves that GOP has NO IDEA what 'American exceptionalism' really means.

14. Even the right has to face palm this

A couple of people I know, and they're latent right-wingers...became so due to Obama being elected,, were even embarrassed. Even if they deep down agree with the sentiment, even they realize what an impolitic remark that was.

15. Oh Mittens?!? What is your favorite color???

16. I am doubly offended

Firstly, because it's hard to not think of 'Anglo-Saxon' in this context as code-talk for 'not brown skin'. Which makes his 'we' pretty divisive from the get-go.

And then there is the fact that while I am certainly pale-skinned enough for Mr. Romney's 'advisors', to the best of my knowledge, there isn't a drop of Anglo-Saxon blood in my veins. My ancestors were mostly Scots/Irish Celtic, with a possible early admixture of Norman/French, so I am offended on my own behalf as well.

18. Tell your gopper friends that these statements were not

taken out of context, this was actually said unlike what the Mitten's campaign did with Pres O's statement about businesses.

This is how his campaign really feels, so its beyond any logic how people of color can support the GOP, but you do have idiots in every race. You even got gays supporting them as well, please give me what they are smoking, please!

31. An important quote form another DU thread on this issue

snip
According to the telegraph, the adviser suggested that Mr. Obama could not understand the depth of the relationship between the two countries because he cannot fully appreciate the shared "Anglo-Saxon heritage." ---

To me, this makes the racist nature of the comments clearer. For instance, why can't Mr. Obama fully appreciate the shared A.S. heritage? ANY American CAN appreciate the shared heritage. One has to laugh because the thing that would make one appreciate this heritage more is an English Literature course. You know, the thing that those greedy GOP bastards try to cut out of education.

37. Note That The Romney Team Has Not

Asked for a retraction from the newspaper, only calling it a "false quote". Since the newspaper was likely prohibited from using actual quotes it seems odd to attack them in this manner. Besides, Romney could clear it up by releasing the full statement so we can then decide how "false" it really is. That they haven't done this is an indication of how much of a dog whistle attack this really is. How did they think the newspaper would play this story?